Chapter 1

     Paula Dewitt sat at her desk at The St. Louis Dispatch, her eyes riveted  to the article before her on the computer monitor.

     Elissa Harner’s father had been killed, going off a cliff in The Virgin Islands, after holding his daughter captive. First the hostage event took place in her hotel room, over a web cam….on Elissa’s site no less. The video had already been uploaded to other sites, including You Tube and Myspace.

     She shook her head in absolute horrified shock as she skimmed over the rest of the article. Elissa was in a hospital in The Virgin Islands at the time the article was written for observation. She was expected to be released the next day.

     “Paula….Got an assignment for you.”

     The voice of her boss made her whirl around in her swivel chair.

     “I just spoke to Monica Harner on the phone about getting a statement  on the death of her husband….And she not only agreed to it, but she wants you specifically to do a story on it. She has some sort of announcement to make.”

     Kayla stood in the living room back at their house, where the police had just given them the official ok to go back in and resume their lives. Like that would happen.

     Monica gazed back at her youngest daughter with an expression of anticipation and regret. “….And….that’s what happened. So, as it turns out, Mark was never actually your real brother.”

     Kayla looked down.

     “Kayla? You ok?” her mother went on. “I know, it’s quite a shock….but it all makes such perfect sense!”

     Kayla shook her head. “No it doesn’t. It just makes perfect sense to you because it makes everything easier,” she went on, muttering. “The book never said anything about this.”

     Monica’s expression turned disgruntled. “It does make sense Kayla. And what do you mean, the book never said anything about it?”

     Kayla took a deep breath, but  couldn’t say anything more, as there was a knock at the door.

     Elissa took a long sip of the grape juice she had asked for from the nurse. “Oh my gosh….I just can’t stop drinking. My mouth is so parched!” she said.

     Greg smiled at her from where he had sat by her side since late last night. After being questioned by police, they had been ordered to go to the hospital, just for precaution. Elissa had seemed so weak. They had taken blood, put in an IV and done some X-rays just to be on the safe side. When Greg had slipped out of the room, it had been for bathroom breaks, coffee or to see if Kevin had ever attempted to show up.

     “Drink up, then. Is there anything else I can get you?”

     Elissa’s eyes teared up. “I can’t believe he’s dead.” she said.

     Greg looked down. “I know. But….you can’t dwell on it ok? He…..was definitely not the person we all thought he was.”

     She turned to him. “And…you! My God, how this must be affecting  you Greg. To find out he wasn’t your father, but really mine biologically?”

     Greg looked down. He hadn’t really given himself TIME to face this. He’d been too worried about Elissa. And Kayla of course. He’d told her before he left, assuming the book was apparently paralleling their real lives, fictionally. “I haven’t been thinking about it. I’ve been too focused on getting you back in shape.”

     “Ohhhh,” she said, touched and reaching out to hold the side of his face, the line of stubble there from where he had not shaved for a few days prickling her fingers.

     He gently took her hand in his and was about to kiss it, when he heard Kevin’s voice.

     “Oh my God, Elissa….Are you all right?”

     Kayla opened the door, looking at Peter. He smiled at her.

     “Hi.”

     She only gazed uncertainly back at him. They had met the previous night upon getting the message that had been meant for Greg. At that time, everyone had been so worried about Elissa. No one had told her about the other part of the story. Then, when Greg had finally called to say all was ok, at least with Elissa….Tom was dead…..Her mother hadn’t been nearly as upset as one would think.

     Kayla took a step back, allowing him in before sitting in an armchair. “So, let me get this straight. You’re going to give Paula the story and announcement that due to a hospital mix up, Mark was never really your son, and….he is…” she said, eyeing Peter.

     “Yes. I believe the public needs to know the truth. If for nothing else, to save Elissa’s career.”

     Kayla rolled her eyes on that statement by her mother.

     “Have…..you told her everything?” Peter asked Monica.

     “Yes….Except for the fact she mentioned none of this could be right, because it wasn’t in the book,” her mother went on, folding her arms exasperated as she eyed Kayla. “Would you mind explaining that Kayla?”

     Paula was so shocked she nearly stumbled out of her chair, to get out of there after she thanked her boss, then turned off the computer in her cubicle. When she got downstairs, she dropped her keys, realizing how badly she was shaking.

     She made it over to her car, and took a deep breath. “Just relax. It’s Monica, no big deal, nothing to worry about.” she said aloud to herself.

     She bit on her lip, then turned the key in the ignition.

     Elissa turned to face Kevin, her mouth dropping open as he came over to her other side, in concerned mode. “I tried to call earlier and talk to someone about your condition, but they refused to tell me anything since I’m not related,” he went on, eyeing Greg. “So….are you all right?”

     Elissa remained quiet, but stared at him. “Where have you been?” she finally managed to ask, genuinely confused.

     He hesitated, pinching the bridge of his nose as if a sudden sinus headache had come on. “Trying to smooth things over with the Kriterion executives. Due to everything that happened with you….they’re willing to give us a second chance.” he went on. “But…..as for this movie project, they do already have someone else lined up for your part.”

     Greg blinked, a blank expression crossing his face. “What? Elissa, were you going to be in this movie?”

     She closed her eyes, remembering their last argument. “No, I wasn’t Greg. Could you excuse us please for a few minutes? We need to talk.”

    Kayla stared back at her mother, narrowing her eyes. She was putting  her on the spot, in front of this guy and she didn’t appreciate it. And….she couldn’t believe after everything she still came back here, to this house like nothing ever happened. She could have been killed.

     Her mother raised her brows expectantly. “Well Kayla? What is it? We don’t have all day, Paula will be here any minute.”

     She turned away, wishing she had never brought it up. “Nothing.” she said.

     Monica creased her eyebrows. “Wow. Something  sure didn’t seem like nothing earlier.”

     Peter then held up his hand, intervening. “Maybe….she just doesn’t want to talk about it right now. Give her time Monica.”

     “But if it’s something important, and Paula’s on her way over-”

     Peter shook his head, placing a hand on her shoulder as Kayla stole a sideways glance at them. “Just….drop it for now, ok? The last thing we need is more pressure and arguments….”

     Monica seemed to reluctantly agree as Kayla watched Peter, studying him a little deeper with a curious eye.

     Paula reached the Harner home in about fifteen minutes, slowly approaching the door with her tape recorder. She knocked on the door, and a few moments later Monica appeared, beaming. “Hi Paula! Thanks so much for coming out! Come in, come in….You look different!”

     “I cut my hair,” Paula admitted, spotting the other guy sitting on  the sofa.

     He stood up and took her hand. “Hi….Peter Woodland.”

     She nodded, still appearing lost. Before she could introduce herself,  Monica spoke up.

     “Peter, and everything will be explained,” she said. “Please, have a seat. Let’s get started…”

     After getting a reassurance from Elissa that she’d be ok, Greg left the two alone to talk…..even though he felt quite uncomfortable about it. There was always a part of him, the moment he saw Kevin’s picture with Elissa, that he knew he wouldn’t like him. Now, that same jerk was no doubt the father of her baby.

     Greg felt like hitting or kicking something out in the hall, but refrained. He paced instead, clenching and unclenching his fists.

     At one of the points earlier that day, he’d overheard the doctor and a nurse talking at the desk as he got coffee from the vending machine. He heard Elissa’s name mentioned, and the words 45 days along. The nurse had asked if she’d been told the news yet, and the doctor had said he was waiting on other test results to come back.

     Elissa was pregnant. At a time like this. Greg winced, trying to hold back some frustrated  tears.

     “Elissa do you know how scared I was? I freaked out when I came back to our room to find you gone.” Kevin said, his voice actually cracking emotionally.

     “Then….how was it, Greg found me? Greg saved me….Where were you? Doing paperwork for your stupid movie!”

     “I was trying to get a hold of the manager, and ended up stuck talking to a ditz fan of yours at the front desk! It took forever for the son of a bitch to come, so I went to the bathroom….where I ran into the head executive of Kriterion. I explained to him you were missing and he was concerned so we tracked down the manager on our own…..only to be told an hour later, you had indeed been abducted and the authorities were now involved….so I figured ok, you’d be fine right? I met with Kriterion in an emergency meeting this morning, begging them not to get rid of me due to all that had happened. Understandably, they complied and we re-wrote the contracts.  You don’t have to be in this movie Elissa. Ok?”

     She stared at him, like he was nuts. “That’s it? I’m supposed to just forgive you? Like that?

     He sighed, closing his eyes. “What do you want from me Elissa? Huh? I’ve done everything I can for you.”

     She stared at him, smiling through teary eyes. “That’s just it.” she replied. “I don’t want anything from you.”